CHAPTER ONE
Till death do us part
March 30th, 2012. Stoke Town, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
The blue car drove to a halt. Joseph Adams turned off the radio and bowed down for a ‘word of prayer’- he always did that before ministering, when he was out time. He peered into the car’s mirror. He looked different now; he had a fashionable appearance and a nice haircut- unlike that bald, old fashioned preacher everybody knew on television. He reached for his bible after taking in a deep breath. He had taken a long break-he had actually subjected himself to fasting and prayer in a distant rented apartment, located in the outskirts of Spain. Joseph Adams had become a successful preacher in Africa, after twenty years of faithful service to God. He wished his mother was alive, but he knew her demise was part of God’s plan. He had a feeling that she was right in God’s arms and God was making her fulfilled with so much peace and joy. He alighted from his car and sighed. Joseph Adams was five feet tall, light skinned and handsome, he had these unique ‘soft-peering’ eyes that complemented his striking appearance. After locking his car, he glanced at his watch and headed for the building opposite him. The place was really filled up as he expected, it was great that he parked his car at a farther distance or he would not have anywhere to park it. With his keys in his fist, he marched towards the entrance. A beautiful lady in a red dress was standing at the door. She flashed him a ‘big’ smile.
“Welcome sir,” she greeted humbly. Then she put on a stern look, “...your ticket?”
Joseph Adams smiled.
“I am a guest minister.”
She was thrown off balance by his reply-maybe it was because he was too youthful and cheerful for the stereotyped; strong, reserved and stern looking ministers, many people understood. He just smiled again; he was used to such remarks. He had encountered so many of ‘them’ during his early years in ministry. The lady took a glance at a clip board, then looked up,
“Are you Dr. Andrew Johnson?”
“I am Joseph Adams.”
She was taken aback by a momentary shock. Then she laughed at herself, staring into his eyes.
“I’m so sorry, oh! I should have recognised you earlier.”
“No problem.”
Joseph chuckled and he followed her to the large hall. He met an usherette there. Though, this lady was rather too robust for a female, she had nice mannerisms and was indeed beautiful .She greeted him warmly,
“We need you right now sir. You are going to the altar now, for a word of exhortation.” She sounded as if she was tensed when she spoke. He gave her a reassuring smile, to let her know it was all right. They went back stage; she gave him a microphone, “Five minutes, sir.”
The curtains opened as he walked further, into the stage. The crowd was startling. He saw thousands seated before him- but it was obvious he wasn’t in charge, God was.
“Praise the Lord!” He roared. The crowd responded, stood and waved. “...We’re here tonight for one thing, and you know what it is?”He stepped away from the lectern and looked directly at the thrilled crowd,
“...Christ! He’s the reason why we are all here, and one thing before I leave-we all came here to worship God, but I tell you worship cannot be done by us, worship is by the spirit and in truth, we just gives ourselves up .” He nodded, “...it’s not about us, and it is all about...HIM!” The crowd cheered. “It’s about His glory, it’s about His greatness, it is all about-” he paused and lifted up his hand, then shouted, “...God!” The crowd rejoiced. People were shouting “Hallelujah” and “Amen”; the hall was filled with excitement. Just then, the master of the ceremony, who was a tall young man, appeared on the stage and called out;
“Grace Night!”
The people responded,
“...A night of wonder!”
The gentle man smiled. Dressed in a nice looking tuxedo, he naughtily captured the audience with his diamond studded wrist watch. He smiled and continued,
“Praise the Lord! We have a lot to offer tonight- but before we commence, I’II like to call on my co-host, she’s such a darling.” He smiled “... and she is no other person but Yvonne!” The crowd clapped. Then a lady in a white, long, glittering gown appeared on the podium. She flashed a genuine smile and shouted,
“Hello Nigeria! Hello Africa!” The crowd roared in excitement. “...Are Americans here tonight?” She tucked in a loose strand of hair, behind her ear and grinned. “Hello America!” The crowd responded. Many Caucasians blew whistles.
The Master of the ceremony stepped forward,
“Oh. I know we are so excited tonight and I hope I’m not forgetting this unique set of people -Praise the Lord Asia!” They responded with a joyous noise. “...I think Asia will win tonight. Okay, let’s try Australia and Europe. God bless Australia! God bless Europe!” He said out loud and pointed the microphone out to the crowd. After the noise had died down, he continued.
“...Asia has this tonight and surprisingly,” he looked at his assistant, she winked and continued.
“The first worshipper is Michael Tzu. He’s from China and he is doing the song ‘Amazing Grace’.” The lights were put out and put on again, revealing a very tall man. He had the typical Chinese look: high cheekbones, small eyes and rounded nose, but he wore a unique, distinct smile. As he started the song, he shocked the crowd with his gifted tenor vocals and his unique riffs and runs-The spirit of God also blessed many lives through the song. The next performance was done by “The Rainbow Band”. They were really amazing; the Holy Ghost was no doubt the source of such indescribable harmony. The anchors came to the stage for the third time now. The Mc Sighed,
“Are you enjoying this? If you are, say Alleluia!” the crowd responded passionately.
“Oh!” The female anchor, Yvonne, voiced. “I know we would love to see the next performance and it is by the HOSANNA CHOIR! They are doing a Nigerian song, ‘Alagbara’ by Onos! Give God a clap offering.”
The ‘Hosanna’ mass choir appeared on stage and the crowd applauded. A male conductor properly positioned the choir and handed the microphone over to a lady, who quietly stepped forward .The instrumentalists played an ‘intro’. Then the beautiful lady started the song. As she sang, the crowd ‘melted.’ The large hall was quiet, not because of her thrilling vocals or the divine lyrics, but she sang entirely from the spirit. This performance was incredible. After the performance ended, the audience stood up and clapped heartily. While Joseph was clapping, he was not hundred percent himself. Ever since the choir stepped in, he kept hearing a voice in his head.
Joseph it’s time.
He wasn’t really sure of what this meant, but soon enough, the visions he had been seeing for a while now, ‘clouded’ his spirit. He swallowed hard. Was this what it was about? Was this the reason for his presence here? Could this be the reason for his blatant refusal to leave even after his ministration, to Aja where he was needed? He couldn’t help but ask himself So many questions. Just then, ‘her’ name flashed right before him in a surprising manner;
CHICHI OLISEH
He was about bracing up in obedience, when he wondered for the first time in fulfilling his usual task; how could he do this? How could he tell a complete Stranger, God’s plan for her life-Even if he was famous as Joseph Emeka Adams-was it enough backing to give her that kind of information about herself? He kept asking himself, “How would she take this?” Then he heard the calm voice once again,
Joseph, it’s time.
All of a sudden, he realised there was no point of arguing and said, “God I’m sorry.” He felt an urge to walk towards a door- an exit from the hall; he knew that he was being led, so he walked briskly to the door. It led to a hallway and on it sides, it had many doors. He kept on walking. Then all of a sudden, he heard a noise. Quite eager to see what was happening,
he turned behind; half of his body lunged forward, so that he could have a glimpse of what was happening, as his body partially leaned against a wall. A man and a lady stood beside a door, they were ranting- it seemed as if they were not satisfied with their tantrum, so they started exchanging vulgar words. From experience, Joseph knew the lady was from the Hausa ethnic group in Nigeria and the man looked like an African American. Though the man was muscular and olive skinned, he was rather short and his ‘odd’ dreadlocks gave him a very rugged ‘unlikeable’ look against his smooth skin. The lady was slender and pretty. She had a long, natural hair, and a beautiful skin. They both looked very young and foolish. The American scowled at her,
“You are so dumb, huh? You got me? Very dumb! Isn’t anything in your damn, dead skull.” The lady, who was almost in tears, kept holding her floral gown as if she was trying to retain a sense of dignity that was at the moment, incomprehensible. “You are an ill b***h!” He yelled and spat at her and was about to leave, when she seized his polo in anger.
“You irresponsible fool! You have been lying to me for years that- I was just a fool to assume…” then uncontrollable tears rolled down her cheeks, “...to a.......a.....assume,” she stammered. “...that you LOVED ME!” In frustration, she tousled her hair and then screamed at the top of her voice. “You got me pregnant and deflowered me-I was such an idiot to believe all the lies you wooed me with-I hate myself for leaving church-it’s caused all this emptiness inside of me. Refugee! You told me we would be together in Miami. If not for this programme, I would have believed that you were still there. Homeless LIAR-you know, girls like me wish they would never meet or fall in love with immature street urchins like you-”
“...Get your dead body off me.” He interrupted, gritting his teeth.
He pummelled her hand off his shirt and shook her violently. Then he threw her to the floor, watching her back slam against the tiled ground. Her legs spread weakly and she lay on the floor, writhing in pain. This was when Joseph came out of his hiding place .Despite he was very close to them; he was pretty much non- existent to them. The American guy kicked her and when Joseph tried to intervene, the guy jabbed him in the nose, then he turned to her,
“F**k you bitch! You got me? F**k you and your f**king mama. I’m out of here.” He turned away, making an immoral hand gesture. Then in a wicked laugh, he yelled, “Hope you’ll be dead before morning.” He ran off. Joseph wiped the blood from his ‘now’ bleeding nose. He wondered why many women chose to be girl friends-to endure the slavery and manipulation ‘behind the scene’. He remembered his mother’s saying:
“A wise girl would keep dirty- minded -fine -faced men off her body till she becomes a wonderful bride.”
Joseph helped the girl sit up.
“Sorry. What’s your name?”
“Sarah Danjuma.”
She looked at him in bewilderment, “Thank you.” Then she turned to her knuckles and started sobbing. He smiled and offered her his handkerchief. Then he started on a soft tone,
“Sarah, God knows how terrible you feel.” These words seemed to calm her down in a strange manner. She turned to him,
“Do I deserve God’s attention?” She sighed, as if waiting for an answer, one to make her feel back on her feet again. Joseph sighed,
“No.” He said. She then burst into tears, gnashing her teeth as she cried. Joseph laid his hand on her back “…But He’s willing to give you it and more, God is willing to listen to you even when others don’t want to. He’s willing to comfort you, when you feel down. He’s willing to take you into his arms, when you feel lonely. That’s why he can do anything for you, even giving up His ‘self’ to be ‘butchered’ on the cross for your redemption. He looked into her eyeballs. “Do you want to be saved?” She looked up.
“Yes, help me—I am so unclean.” He wiped her tears with his palm. They held hands, as she repeated after him,
“Father, I come before you, I am a sinner. Have mercy upon me. I welcome you into my life. Take all of me. I give all I am to you Lord, in Jesus name, Amen.”
He hugged her. Then he gave her a Mountain Top Life Devotional and his bible. He looked into her eyes,
“Sarah, I know you have stopped attending church. Try and make it, not ‘just’ to any church around, but a bible believing and practicing church.” He pointed to the bible on her lap, “This is the King James 1611 version and the undiluted word of God-read it, study, live by it and keep it. It a treasure”.
These were the last words from the mouth of Joseph to Sarah Danjuma before he walked down the hallway. God led him to an entrance and he found himself at a balcony. He could see the silhouette of a lady, she was certainly the lady that took the solo of Onos’s song; ‘Alagbara’. He was at the right place, at the right time.
He moved slowly as if he was counting his steps. Then he looked at her closely and she turned to him, as if she was waiting for this. Standing, and her face glittering in the moonlight, she smiled. Her hands lay across her chest, while her left hand clutched some books. She turned to look into his eyes. Joseph spoke first,
“Hello, good day.” He said nodding. Then just in time, he reached for her pack of books which were about to fall. He handed it over to her. She smiled.
“Thank you.”
Her voice sounded so beautiful. She smiled again, “You know, these books are really some gospel hymnals. I’ve been ‘trying’ to sell them for some time now. Well I’ve really sold a lot. You know, maybe it’s because ‘sanguines’ like me, are good at sale jobs. She blinked, “Pardon my manners, good evening sir.” He smiled broadly. He was quite impressed that she was a responsible sanguine. He clearly remembered that eye opener; Spirit Controlled Temperament by Tim Lahaye. She smiled back. “I was blessed by those words on the altar, they really encouraged me. I wish I had come earlier. You know, I was a minute late for the speech”. Joseph swallowed
“Umm, well---” Joseph wondered why he sounded so childish. He chided himself,
Come on, Joseph behave well! Do not be afraid.
Joseph continued.
“…we bless God; I was also empowered by that inspiring, musical performance.”
“God is so good.” She said looking up. Then she turned to him, “By the way, I am Chichi Oliseh.” She said in a very feminine voice.
“Joseph Adams.” He shook her hands firmly.
She looked quite surprised, and then shocked.
“You are? Oh! She grinned and looked at him again “Don’t tell me-really? Are you the preacher on TV?”
Joseph nodded. She winked, “I am so famous already,” they both chuckled. Joseph pursed his lips,
“Do l really look-different?”
“Yeah and more handsome”
Then she turned away, as if she remembered something. She looked at the stars, which dotted the sky in a solemn manner. Joseph felt a confirmation in his spirit, but he could see she was not happy.
Is this the right time to-
She interrupted his thought.
“I know why you are here.” She said, looking at her fingers. The aura of joy and energy she had died down all of a sudden. Her ‘gloomy’ nature surprised him. She continued, “God told me, but—but,” she stammered. “I, I—Can’t.” Joseph was disappointed. The atmosphere had suddenly become quiet and sorrowful. She turned to him. Joseph could see tears in her eyes.
“I don’t -deserve, I don’t deserve…” as she struggled to say this, tears ran down her cheeks, she couldn’t even finish her statement. She swallowed hard. She tousled her hair and let her ebony virgin curls fall in unneeded twists, and then she looked away.
Joseph felt heartbroken and dismayed. Many questions ran through his mind as he watched her. The pessimistic tendency of his melancholic temperament seemed to manifest now.
It won’t work! Why now? It’s over!
Then he remembered God was with him. He moved closer to her, she withdrew and looked at him,
“The thing is, I am not qualified. You know I’m not the best, maybe-“She missed a step and slipped helplessly, the books in her hands flung aimlessly across the patterned tiled floor. He stooped to help her, as she struggled for balance. Then he started gathering all her books, until she gave him a concerned look.
“Joseph?”
He then discovered that his nose was bleeding again. He was about to reach for his handkerchief, when she stopped the blood flow with her fingers. Joseph looked into her eyes; it was time to ‘speak.’ He noticed her eyes looked sunken from the tears.
“Chichi,” He started calmly and went down on his knees, “…Don’t be afraid I do not deserve ‘this’ too. Look no one does. We have all erred from Christ at one point in our lives.” He noticed that she was getting herself back, “…Chichi, God revealed this to me and convinced-” He took a deep breath and said in the most masculine voice she had ever heard,
“Will you marry me?”